The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1887-07-01
THE AUTHORS CONVENTION
Whai Western Literary People Think
About Other Literary Workers.
Reorganization of the Association Under
New Name, and Election of Officers for
Next Year-Miss Stems New Poem.

NEW NaHle, anu EIecsl0H Ot VlHcefS loE
Next Year-AIiss Stems New Poem.
At the opening OF the second days session
! of the authors convention yesterday morning
the secretary read letter from James Whitcoml
Riley, expressing sympathy with the objects Of
the association and regret at his inability TO be
present THE Study of Contemporaneous
Literature in Schools and Colleges" by Mrs
Ida Harper, of Terre Haute, who could not be
present. read by Dr. Fl. w. Taylor. The
sketch of Elizabeth Conwell Smith Wilson, and
her husband, Byron Forcythe Wilson. the author
of ''Tne Old Sergeant" by Mrs. Marie Louise
Andrews, of Connersville. gracefully done.
These two poets now rest in a little churchyard
at Laurel, and the story of the devotion of the
two lives is full OF tenderest pathos
Miss Eleanor Stackhouse, of the Lafayette
Leader. read a meritorious paper THE Fool
in Literature" Her treatment of the subject
was charminely graceful, and showed Deeper
and better thought than characterized many of
the contributions. This followed by a
poem. 1.-The Mystery by Mrs. d. NJ Jordan, of
Richmond.
At the afternoon session VIM. DEM. Hooper.
city librarian. read paper on Libraries and
Reading rooms-How Shall They Be Sustained
and Made Useful to Writer'S" This was dis
cussed by George Cardwell. Benz. S. Parker
aud Mr. Hooper. Miss Evaieen Stein then read
the following poem, which received with
great appreciation.
SPRING BANK. ON THE WABASH.
Like countless harps with silver strings
Through waving verdure vernal,
hidden host of Ginning springs
Like countless harps with silver strings
Are singing songs eternals
OF rarest things the hillside rings
Like countless harps with silver strings
In clustered chords OF sweeping sound
Adown the pebbly lodges;
The loosened waters laugh and bound
In clustered chords of sweepng sound,
To splash the swaying sedges;
All sweetness round is caught and wound
In clustered chords OF sweeping sound
Then slipped asleep they tinkle low
AS notes of hermit thrushes,
That hide where long lush grasses grow;
Then slipped asleep they tinkle low.
Between the slender rushes:
Like flutes allow, and cold snow.
Then slipped asleep they tinkle low.
yonder bank is fairyland.
By liquid music haunted.
Each Inurmuring spring crystal wand.
o yonder bank is faryland.
And all the hills enchanted.
It's throbbing sand magician planned;
yonder bank is fairyland.
Dr. VIM. Hubbard Smith, of Vincennes, read
a poem September" and Wm w Pfrimmer
an excellent piece of dialect Measure Fair"
A dialect poem, Theology in Camp" with a
Bret Harte hero. by Clarence H. Pierson, OF
Giadwin Mich, was read by Clarence Ladd
Davis, an East Saginaw poet. Mrs D. NJ. Jor-
dan read poem entitled 'The Vain Quest"
The committee chosen to draft articles of in
corporation reported and the articles drawn
were adopted. The association has made
change of name. and will hereafter be desig-
mated as 1.-The Western Association of Writer'S"
the former name being considered somewhat too
comprehensive. The objects of the association
are The encouragement of Western writers and
the promotion and dissemination of good liter
ature" The officers of the association, as re-
formed. were designated, and the membership
fee fixed at So 1t was also provided that upon
the application in writing thereafter, signed by
its president in behalf of any literary society, the
members thereof may be made ex oficio MEM
bers of this association on payment OF 81 for
each member and upon the signing OF the artl-
ings shall be held the first Tuesday and Wednes-
day in June each year. but special meetings may
be called at any time by the president
Organization for the ensuing year was then
effected, as follows:
President-James Maurice Thompson.
Vice presdents-Dr. j. n. Matthews. Dr. H: M.
Julia Aldrich. Mrs. D. NJ. Jordan. Mrs Mary A.
Leavtt.
Assistant Secretary--Mrs. E. s. L. Thompson.
Treasurer-Wm Dudley Foulke.
Executive Committee-W. Dewitt Wallace, j. G.
Ochiltree, Miss Mary Z. Cardwei. A. H. Hartman,
Board Of Trustees-Dr. H. W. Taylor, Hon. Will
Cumback. Hon. Clarence A. Buskirk, Hon. w. D.
Foulke, Hon. Cyrus McNutt, Capt Lee o. Harris DR..
j. n. Matthews, Richard Lew Dawson, DR.. Rob
ert Mcintyre, Capt w. Dewitt Wallace, DIR. J. G.
Ridpath. H. c. Fellows Prof w. II. Venable. Hon.
James Maurice Thompson. A. III. Harryman, James
Whtcomb Riley. E. w. Halford George p. Cardwell,
Herman Rave, John G. Ochiltree Judge D. ID. Banta,
w. p. Needham. Mrs. d. NJ. Jordan. Mrs. M. L.
Andrews. Mrs Margaret V. Bates, Miss Mamie Paden,
Mrs. NJ. H Catherwood Mrs. L. May Wheeler, Miss
Nellie Stackhouse, Mrs. E. S. L. Thompson Mrs.
Julia Aldrich Miss Ida May Harper. Mrs. Louise V.
Boyd Mrs. Mary A. Leavitt Miss Mary E. Cardwell,
Miss Jennie ,Judson Miss Evaleen Stein, Mrs Amy E.
Dunn, Mrs. Swafford.
The afternoon session. terminating the bust
ness session of the association, then closed.
The evenings programme consisted of lit
erary-muscal entertainment, at Plymouth
Church, with musical selections by Miss Anna
Abromet, Mr.. Walter Sprankler and Mr. Will
Daggett, and sketches and poems by members of
the association. Hon. w D. Foulke gave per-
sonal experience with "Grappo," dog bought at
the hospice of St Bernard; Miss Mamie Paden,
of Cincinnati, recited her poem, Queen Bess;"
w. W. Pfrimmer gave his dialect poem, SWAP
PIN Lies" Mrs. L. May Wheeler read essay,
Drama of Poetry" George F. Bass gave
humorous selection 1.-THE Red Cow" from Bill
Nye, cleverly initiating that humorists style; FL.
w. Taylor read poem; J. G. Ochiltree recited
Little JIM" Lucia Julian Martin recited 1.-THE
Spelling SCHOOL," Clarence A Buskirk
original poem and Mrs Hattie A. Prunk con-
cluded the entertainment with a recitation.